Connector assemblies suitable for attachment to bent tubular conduit
AssigneesKabushiki Kaisha Togo Seisakucho, Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Mitsubishi Jidosha Engineering Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsShigeo Ooi, Yukihiro Hattori, Hiroshi Ooizumi, Kazunori Iida
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A connector assembly 8 may include a connector 10 having flow channel 11 defined therein. One end of the flow channel may engagingly receive a tubular conduit 1. A checker 30 may be coupled to the connector 10. The connection checker 30 may engagingly receive a bent portion 1b of the tubular conduit 1 and ensure a proper connecting condition between the connector 10 and the tubular conduit 1. The connection checker 30 also may prevent the connector 10 from rotating relative to the tubular conduit 1. A holder 20 may detachably and pivotally couple the connection checker 30 to the connector 10.
Claims31
An apparatus, comprising:
- a connector having flow channel defined therein, wherein one end of the flow channel is arranged and constructed to engagingly receive a tubular conduit having a bent portion, and
- a connection checker coupled to the connector, the connection checker being arranged and constructed to engagingly receive the bent portion of the tubular conduit and ensure a proper connecting condition between the connector and the tubular conduit.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a connector having flow channel defined therein, wherein one end of the flow channel is arranged and constructed to engagingly receive a tubular conduit having a bent portion, and
- first means for ensuring a proper connecting condition between the connector and the tubular conduit, the first means being coupled to the connector and being configured to engagingly receive the bent portion of the tubular conduit.
A method for checking whether a connector has been properly connected to a tubular conduit having a bent portion, comprising:
- moving a connection checker relative to the connector from a first position to a second position, wherein the connection checker engages the bent portion of the tubular conduit in the second position if the connector has been properly fitted with the tubular conduit;
- and
- re-adjusting the fitting of the connector and the tubular conduit, if the connection checker prevented engagement with the bent portion of the tubular conduit in the second position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.